Stick-on / adhesive bra

The most common type of stick-on bra is made of silicone but there are ones that look almost the same as the silicone one pictured but are made of foam. You can also get fabric ones that look more like a normal strapless bra that has had the back cut off. They usually have adhesive on the side wings to hold them on.

Most lingerie stores stock the silicone type, they will probably be with bra accessories (extenders, extra straps etc). You can also buy them online on websites like Amazon. The fabric one like the one pictured is harder to find in store, you may have to hunt around the internet until you find one you want.

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Fabric stick-on bra, the adhesive is in the side wings.

What size to get

The first problem with this sort of bra is knowing what size to get. They are often sold as A, B or C cup, but without having a band size the cup size is meaningless. A woman who wears a 30C bra will have much smaller breasts than a woman who wears a 38C. Generally these sorts of bras don’t go up very far in sizes, if you have large breasts you will probably have trouble finding one that fits. If you are buying it in a store you will have to judge by looking at it, you may not be able to take it out of the packaging. If you are buying it online check the return policy and also check whether it can be returned after opening, some stores will consider it an intimate item and won’t accept returns for issues like wrong sizing if it’s been opened (if it’s a faulty product they should still accept returns). The silicone ones will give you more leeway with sizing than you would with a normal bra. The cups don’t have to completely cover your breasts, as long as you’ve got the front bits covered and it feels secure and isn’t bulging you should be ok, they’ll just be more like large nipple covers.

How to use them

They will come with their own instructions, but to get an idea of how they go on you can watch this video.

Adhesive advice

Don’t apply over broken, damaged or sun-burned skin.

If you are worried you will have a reaction to the adhesive do a patch test first by using a small piece on yourself. The inside of your arm is a good place as it isn’t hairy so won’t hurt as much when you take it off.

Don’t use moisturisers or powders on the area before you apply it, they will make it harder for it to stick to your skin.

Adhesives can come loose if you are sweating a lot. Try to avoid using them if this will be a problem, or make sure the adhesive is in an area where you don’t sweat much.

Clean and dry the skin before sticking anything to it, wiping with rubbing alcohol will help remove oils and dirt.

Have a hot shower or soak in the bath if you are having trouble getting it off.

If you have sticky residue left on your skin after removal you can get rid of it by using some baby oil on cotton wool and rubbing gently. Solvents like nail polish remover will work too but they aren’t as gentle on your skin.